Google's open-source neural synth is creating totally new sounds

We've reached peak IoT. There's now a smart hairbrush

As soon as a person starts to brush their hair, this battery-powered smart brush collects data using a microphone that can 'listen' to the condition of the hair

Withings/Kérastase/L'Oréal

If you can build it, it can be connected to the internet it seems. From internet connected fridges to smart toothbrushes, the range of connected products is consistently growing. The latest? A hairbush that can give you insights on how you run the brush through your hair.

Advertisement

The Coach, according to those behind it, has been designed to "reinvent what a person’s relationship with their hair can look like". L’Oréal says that "forceful" brushing of the hair increases the likelihood that hair will be damaged. When speaking to WIRED at the product's launch, a spokesperson said research has shown there is a need for the brush and it provides the same sort of service a professional hairdresser can provide.

As soon as a person starts to brush their hair, the battery-powered brush starts to collect data. An inbuilt microphone is said to listen to the sound of the brushing and identify patterns in the movement. The microphone detects "manageability, frizziness, dryness, split ends and breakage".

Read next

You can now talk to your Samsung fridge

ByMatt Burgess

"3-axis load cells measure the force applied to the hair and the scalp when brushing," the companies say – while conductivity sensors work out whether a person's hair is dry or wet. It also allows those using it to analyse dryness, damage to their hair, tangling, and the gestures they use. The Withings website says it provides a "complete hair diagnosis without leaving the home".

Naturally, the brush is connected. The data collected by the sensors is transferred over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to the brush's mobile app. The app combines data with weather reports, such as humidity and temperature. By processing the data, the mobile app is able to create a "personalised care routine" and let people follow the quality of their hair over time.

Advertisement

Guive Balooch, from L’Oréal's technology incubator said the brush has been designed to have a comfortable grip and be used every day.

“By using connected technologies to upgrade the hairbrush," Balooch says, "Withings and Kérastase have reinvented what a person’s relationship with their hair can look like and are showing how connected devices can revolutionise the beauty industry.”